The “Moyo ndi Mpamba, Usamalireni!” Campaign Inspired Behavior Change in Malawi

Moyo ndi Mpamba, Usamalireni! (“Life is precious, take care of it!”) – an aspirational campaign that connected the idea of wellness to prosperity and encouraged Malawians to take steps to improve their own health and that of their families – ran in Malawi from 2011 until 2016.

It is now the latest Spotlight in the Health Communication Capacity Collaborative’s Health COMpass.

Photo credit: Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs

The messages promoted by Moyo ndi Mpamba, Usamalireni! included straightforward health information, as well as  success stories straight from the Malawian communities targeted in the campaign. The coordinated implementation of multi-channel communication activities including radio programs, community outreach and mobilization, and family-friendly print materials were integral to the campaign.

The Moyo ndi Mpamba campaign was a unifying umbrella brand implemented under the Support for Service Delivery Integration (SSDI)-Communication project. SSDI-Communication sought to stimulate behavior change in families and communities and stimulate demand for services in six key health areas: family planning, malaria, maternal and child health, nutrition, water and sanitation, and HIV. The project was implemented by Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs in partnership with Save the Children International, the Malawi Ministry of Health and multiple local partners.

SSDI-Communication was designed based on the Social Ecological Framework, which posits that individual, household, social network, community and national factors affect the health and well-being of community members by influencing, directly or indirectly, families’ and individuals’ ability or propensity to act.

The project also used a life-stage approach. This enabled health communication and promotion efforts to be targeted and prioritized around what is most relevant to people at various points in their lives.

Read more about the development, implementation and evaluation of this unique campaign in the latest Health COMpass Spotlight. Spotlights take an in-depth look at social and behavior change communication programs and include links to materials produced and a timeline of activities.